Manitoba Moose
| owner = True North Sports & Entertainment Limited | coach = Scott Arniel | GM = Craig Heisinger | media = Shaw TV Winnipeg MTS TV CJOB 68 (680 AM) Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg Sun | mascot = Mick E. Moose| | affiliates = Vancouver Canucks (NHL) Victoria Salmon Kings (ECHL) | name1 = Minnesota Moose | dates1 = 1994 to 1996 | name2 = Manitoba Moose | dates2 = 1996 to 2001 IHL | name3 = Manitoba Moose | dates3 = 2001 to present AHL |reg_season_titles = 1''' (2008-09) |division_titles = '''2 (2006–07), (2008-09) |conf_titles = |calder_cups = }} The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League that play out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in the MTS Centre in the city's downtown. History In 1996 the struggling Minnesota Moose moved north from St. Paul, Minnesota to fill the vacated Winnipeg Arena, becoming the Manitoba Moose. At the time, they were a member of the International Hockey League (IHL), and enjoyed moderate regular season and playoff success under head coach and former Winnipeg Jets player Randy Carlyle. In their first season in Winnipeg, the Moose finished with a 30-42-0-10 record, missing the playoffs, yet, the Moose would begin to turn things around as they had a strong second season under Randy Carlyle before losing out in three straight to their arch rivals Chicago Wolves. The Moose had their first taste of playoff success in the 1998-99 IHL playoffs when they beat the Milwaukee Admirals in two games, including a Game 2 overtime win at home. However, their playoff hopes were dashed again by the Chicago Wolves in three straight. After another first round exit in 1999-2000, the Moose advanced to the second round of the IHL playoffs in 2000-01 with a seven game series win over the Houston Aeros, in a series that included three overtime games, of which, the Moose would win two. In the Conference Finals, the Moose once again would play the Chicago Wolves. Yet, despite going up 2 games to 1 on the Wolves early in the series, the Wolves would outscore the Moose 11-5 in the final three games to capture the series and ending another Moose playoff run. When the IHL folded in 2001, the Manitoba Moose joined the AHL and became the official farm team of the Vancouver Canucks. Upon joining the AHL, former Vancouver Canucks player Stan Smyl became the Moose coach. In their first season in the AHL, the Moose would finish with a respectable record at 39-33-4-4, yet lost to the Worcester Ice Cats in the first round. In 2002-03, the Moose would make a deep run in the playoffs when they beat the Portland Pirates to make it to the Quarter-Finals, in which they would defeat the Providence Bruins 3 games to 1 before bowing out in seven to the Hamilton Bulldogs. After missing the playoffs in 2003-04, head coach Stan Smyl was replaced by former Moose coach Randy Carlyle. In Carlyle's first season back behind the bench, the Moose would finish 44-26-7-3 and make a deep playoff run, beating the St. John's Maple Leafs in five games and the Rochester Americans in five games, before bowing out to their long time rival Chicago Wolves in the Conference Finals in four straight. In November 2004, the Manitoba Moose unveiled their new logo, and officially opened the new downtown arena in Winnipeg known as the MTS Centre. Carlyle soon acquired a job with the Anaheim Ducks, and Alain Vigneault was hired for one season, as the Moose went 44-24-7-5 while capturing their first 100 point season in franchise history. The Moose would beat the Syracuse Crunch in six games before losing out to the Grand Rapids Griffins in seven games. Vigneault was called up to coach the Vancouver Canucks the following off-season. In 2006-07, former Winnipeg Jet and Moose player Scott Arniel was named head coach and the Moose responded with another 100 point season with a 45-23-7-5 record. After dispatching the Grand Rapids Griffins in seven games, the Moose would lose to the eventual Calder Cup champions Hamilton Bulldogs in six games. After a quit playoff exit in 2007-08 at the hands of the Syracuse Crunch, the Moose posted a franchise year in 2008-09 by winning a franchise record 50 games and posting another franchise record 107 points en route to finishing first in the AHL (both the Milwaukee Admirals and the Moose had 107 points, but the Moose had 50 wins while the Admirals only had 49). During the 2009 AHL Playoffs, the Moose beat the Toronto Marlies in the North Division Semi-Finals and then swept the Grand Rapids Griffins in the North Division Final and are currently playing the Houston Aeros for the Western Conference title. Team Records Single Season Records Goals: 45, Scott Thomas (1998-99) Assists: 81, Stephane Morin (1994-95) Points: 114, Stephane Morin (1994-95) Penalty Minutes: 285, Wade Brookbank (2004-05) Wins: 28, Corey Schneider (2008-09) GAA: 2.04, Corey Schneider (2008-09) SV%: .928, Corey Schneider (2008-09) Career records Goals: 102, Jimmy Roy Assists: 193, Brett Hauer Points: 251, Brett Hauer Penalty Minutes: 1103, Jimmy Roy Games: 603, Jimmy Roy Career Wins: 69, Alex Auld Career Shutouts: 10, Alex Auld Franchise Scoring Leaders These are the top-ten point-scorers in Moose franchise history. Stats are updated to the end of the 2008-09 AHL season. ''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Moose player; ** = current Moose coach'' Reference: Franchise Leaders on Manitoba Moose website Current roster As of May 10 2009 Manitoba Moose web site roster http://www.moosehockey.com/theteam/roster.php Links Official Site of the Manitoba Moose Category:Canadian ice hockey teams Category:American Hockey League team